The title's self-explanatory. What is the worst piece of advice you have ever received from someone else (a pro, a friend, anyone?). What is the one piece of advice that you attempted to heed, and instead of fixing your game it just caused you completely throw a fit, game gone to hell?

Mine has to be "slow down". I can't stand a slow backswing. I've got a pretty fast tempo, and if I try a slow backswing, the shot will either 1) have a serious power leak (under 200 yards) or 2) go God-knows-where into the thick garbage on either side of the fairway.

Re: Worst Advice Ever?

Worst heeded advice: "You don't need lessons. You've hit the ball sometimes, you just need to hit a lot more at the driving range." After a few months of this, a different friend - a much better golfer - told me to get lessons. I went and got lessons, and am much better for it.

Worst advice, thankfully unheeded: get whatever clubs you can get the cheapest. You don't need clubs fit for you unless you're a pro.

Re: Worst Advice Ever?

The worst advice I constantly hear is "you should play this hole like this." I know people have good intentions (I hope) and want to give you the best advice. However, golfers are like fingerprints: No two are alike. If you want to show someone how to play a hole, give them the yardage handbook. Let them decide for themselves.

Re: Worst Advice Ever?

When someone says to you as you play the course for the first time, "On this hole, you want to avoid the [water, bunker, deep rough, OB, any sort of trouble] [to the left, to the right, right over there, up ahead, just over the hill, on your second shot, etc.].

They're not thinking correctly if they tell you what to avoid and it's sometimes tough to get their words out of your head or to keep repeating to them "Where do I want to put the ball" (and not where not to put it).

I think the Rotella people will know what I mean.

I don't remember any other bad advice because I don't accept tips from people, and when they offer them I try to forget them as quickly as possible. I'm sure I've been given bad advice before - and I've seen others give bad advice - but I don't remember it.

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For years I have gripped the club with my right hand very similar to how Jim Furyk does it(just feels natural to me)... ever so slightly strong with 2 fingers overlapping the left hand. Last season I was told(by a very good golfer) to switch to a more neutral standard right hand grip of the club... Following the advice was a disaster! It caused my fade to be a slice and I had absolutely NO wedge feel at all...

Re: Worst Advice Ever?

Originally Posted by giantbear

I hate the obviouse advice 'avoid the water' 'don't hit it short' 'keep your head down'. They drive me crazy.

I was once with a friend and someone kept telling us after every bad shot that we had our head up. After a few of those, we got fed up and started repeating the opposite of the "typical" advice to the other one (to each other, not to him) when we had a bad shot, to preempt him.

"Bad shot dude, you forgot to pick your head up."
"Bad shot dude, you swung too easy"
"Tough luck dude, the ball's in the fairway. It's supposed to be in the rough!"

Those probably qualify as bad advice, but we didn't mean them seriously. We started playing better. More relaxed and all.

Re: Worst Advice Ever?

Originally Posted by geezer

'Keep your head down!'

That really bugs me.

I agree, right along with keep your left arm straight. Every golfer who trys to do it swings stiff and tight. I also hear keep your eye on the ball. These three are all things that are symptoms of other faults and anyone who offers them clearly doesn't really know anything, just feels better of they are the teacher.